13 Top Things to do in Macau

Macau is a tiny little city-state in the south of China next to Hong Kong. The distance between Hong Kong and Macau is just 66 km if you travel by road. Well, that's just 1-hour ride. You see, in the same way that Hong Kong used to be a British colony, Macau was a Portuguese colony. This gave Macau an atmosphere which is beyond unique.

Like Hong Kong, Macau was once a European colony in China and after China was handed back the two former colonies, both were granted 50 years of self-government and their own customs systems. To put it shortly, this means that unlike China, travel to Hong Kong and Macau does not require a visa if you are a westerner.

It also means that they have their own passports, immigration checks, country codes, and so on. All separate from that of mainland China. Macau is rapidly changing and today many of Macau’s residents were born in the mainland and not in Macau. And even of those Chinese that were born in Macau had little to do with the Portuguese administration and as a result, most do not speak any Portuguese.

They were more or less able to mind their own business under the more than 400 years of Portuguese rule (you would expect a bigger internal cultural footprint given how much time they had!). What’s interesting is that a few years prior to when Portugal handed Macau back to China in 1999, the Portuguese let Macau residents (regardless of ancestry) claim Portuguese citizenship if they were born before 1981.

A lot of people took up the opportunity and claimed Portuguese citizenship. Macau has about 650,000 people and despite little more than 1% of the population being ethnically Portuguese, 100,000 of those people are full Portuguese, and by extension, EU citizens. At its core, Macau is still very much Chinese with some western elements here and there.

While the city of Hong Kong doesn’t look British but the people are more culturally British, Macau is the exact opposite. Macau looks Portuguese but most of the people are very much Chinese at heart. Macau and Hong Kong are the dream places which must be visited at least once in your life. The wonders in Hong Kong and Macau will definitely leave you in shock due to its technological advancements and enigmatic lifestyle.

Planning a tour abroad is not a piece of cake. Many arrangements have to be made which increases stress. Holidays are planned to relieve stress not to build it. Choosing a Hong Kong and Macau Tour Package from India will relieve you from the arrangements to be made and will let you enjoy your holidays to the most.



Here are the top places to visit in Macau.

1. Ruins of St. Paul's

Macau in a sense is a region undergoing much change with a culture that's both dying and developing. You see, the old elite colonial order of Macau was made up of mostly Portuguese and the mixed race offspring of the Portuguese and Chinese known as the Macanese. Over the years this group became bound together by a shared ancestry and religion (Catholicism).

The Ruins of St. Paul's Church has been the most famous tourist attraction in Macau with the highest footfall. With only a facade left to see, it depicts the glory of Christian culture in Macau. These historical things to see in Macau were destroyed twice in its life but still attracts tons of tourists.

The church was firstly built in 1580 and was destroyed in 1595. The first structure of St. Paul's was constructed with wood which was destroyed by fire. The history seekers will love this place. Add this place in your Hong Kong Macau Tour itinerary.

2. Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre

Macau Tower is the tallest building in Macau with a multi-cuisine revolving restaurant. The revolving restaurant covers a 360 rotation in a span of 1 hour. Macau Tower offers the best sightseeing and observation from its 732 feet height. Macau Tower offers the worlds highest 223 meters bungee jumping. Take a highly secured skywalk around the Macau Tower.

It is highly recommended to go to the other side of the bridge that crosses the Nam Van Lake, climb the Macau Tower when the afternoon falls or look for an elevated floor in one of the surrounding skyscrapers if you have the possibility.

3. Cotai Strip

Macau is famed for being the gambling capital of Asia and brings more than twice as many profits compared to Las Vegas. This Special Administrative Region also has something of Las Vegas with its clear commitment to casinos, five-star hotels, entertainment and a great offer of Asian luxury.

Macao, in addition to the peninsula, has two small islands joined by bridges such as Taipa and Coloane. In the merger of both in a land reclaimed from the sea and that already unites them completely, is the area of ​​Cotai. And it is there where the largest number of casinos and luxury hotels in the region is concentrated, being the reason why this place is called Las Vegas of the Orient.

Whether you like the game or not, at least try playing a few patacas (official currency of Macao) at roulette.

4. The Venetian Macao

It is known as the Las Vegas of Asia and a former Portuguese colony with rich history and culture but there’s more to this place than a casino. You can see an interesting mix of traditional and modern Chinese culture with Portuguese culture. The Venetian is like a mini replica of Venice. Unlike the real Venice, this place is fully air-conditioned, there is accessible WiFi everywhere, and have tons of shops.

Venetian Macao is the biggest hotel in Macau. The most luxurious hotel in the world is based on the theme of Venice streets. The structure of the hotel is not less than a mini Venice. The best in class suites, shopping mall and all is designed on the theme of Venice.

The Venetian, for example, is to the largest hotel complex on the planet (has more than 3000 rooms), with a reproduction of the canals of Venice (there is even a gondola) and the most emblematic buildings of the Italian city in a commercial megacenter.

5. Venetian Macao Casino

Although not as well known as Hong Kong, Macau is where all of the rich Chinese and Hong Kong tycoons come to play (gambling is banned in mainland China), which is why so much money passes through here (which made it so rich).

Venetian Macao has established its monopoly in the biggest casinos in the world. But there is also a small Paris in The Parisian (with a Eiffel Tower half the size of the original) or a hotel-casino.

6. Monte Fort

The construction of Monte Fort was executed between 1617 and 1626 by the Jesuits. The fort was constructed to defend the effects of war and counter the enemies. Numerous canons sitting on top of the fort were used just twice in their entire lifetime. The fort is aged 400 years old and is now converted into a museum. Monte Fort attracts tons of tourist as it offers the best scenic views.

7. Taipa Island

Taipa offers great sightseeing places with a blend of history. Explore it by bike or on foot. Taipa Island consists of various religious structure, educational hubs which incorporates the traditional Macanese taste. The four-faced Buddha is the main attraction in Macau. Taipa and its atmosphere is a little slow paced compared to the fast-paced energy of Hong Kong.

8. Rua do Cunha

It is possible to have been minutes before visiting a Confucian temple and inhaling incense to later sit inside a typical Portuguese tavern to try a rice with seafood, bacalhau a brás (grilled cod), to bake in bread the sauce of delicious amêijoas (clams) and pair with an excellent Alentejo wine preserved in a typical adega (cellar).

Macanese cuisine is the combination of the two greatest cuisines known to man: Chinese and Portuguese. There are a lot of places in Macau that claim to serve Portuguese food but very few of them are authentic. None of the waiters speak Portuguese either even though they have Portuguese recipes and sometimes bilingual menus.

9. Rua da Felicidade

Rua da Felicidade is the typical Chinese street with red windows and doors that has barely been touched in decades since it was part of the Macanese red light district.

10. Macau Ferry Terminal

Without being Hong Kong or Shanghai, Macao has one of the most attractive skylines in the Far East. Constantly ferries from various companies leave from Hong Kong to Macau terminal in the central port. There are also boats to Macau that can be taken at the Hong Kong International Airport itself.

Macao is a place where fados are heard and Port wine is drunk while the incense flies over a Taoist temple on a mountain. This essential port in the spice route belonged to Portugal which now lives its own present keeping the traces of its history.

The Macao-Malacca-Goa axis was essential for the Lusitanian interests in the spice route. Macau has become a wonderful option for those who travel from Hong Kong to Macau by ferry both on their own and in an organized way through a guided tour.

11. Senado Square

If you’ve been to or are from Portugal or Brazil, you might notice that signature Portuguese pavement which lines the sidewalks and this public space known as Largo do Senado. As you can see, this great mix between Chinese and Portuguese cultures is what makes Macau so unique.

12. Dom Pedro V Theater

The Dom Pedro V Theater, which is a gorgeous Portuguese Neo-classical architecture that was built in 1860. It is also a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site.

13. Lou Lim Ioc Garden

The Lou Lim Ioc Garden is undoubtedly the most Chinese of the gardens in Macao. It has the Suzhou style with pavilions, a pond and a bridge in the shape of a dragon tail. It is one of the favorite places for the locals to go out in the morning to do tai chi, practice the dance of the fans or sing popular songs or even of Chinese opera.

Getting wifi in Macau is almost as easy as finding a signal with your mobile phone. If you are in Hong Kong and you do not want to go to Macao for free, it is possible to hire from there an organized excursion with a guide in your language.

Both Macao and its neighbor Hong Kong do not require entry visas for stays of less than 90 days. It is necessary to only be in possession of a passport with a minimum validity of six months. The Macao Tourism Office offers on its website a valuable information for travelers who wish to know not only its attractions but everything that is happening of interest in the region.

Hope that the above information was useful for you and might have helped in planning your trip and you must have added some more destinations to visit at your Hong Kong Macau trip. Now, what are you waiting for get up and pack your bags and get ready to have fun?

With numerous places to visit in Hong Kong and Macau, at least a 7-day tour is recommended to cover the major tourist attraction of the place. Enjoy your Trip!